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REVIEW: Queens of the Stone Age – Over the Years and Through the Woods (2005 CD/DVD)

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – Over the Years and Through the Woods (2005 Universal CD/DVD)

First thing’s first. You will notice that the DVD has six more songs than the CD, and that’s not including the bonus features. That’s OK. While I wish there were two CDs so you get the whole show on audio, Over the Years and Through the Woods is still a damn fine live album.

No Nick? No problem. As much as I love the Nick Olivieri era of Queens, this live album smokes. Oftentimes, I don’t give a toss for Queens without Nick (Villains being an exception). I do own and love this. Yeah, there are tunes that I miss. Yeah, I miss his screaming. But the album makes up for it in pure tuneage. (Nick’s in some of the bonus materials anyways.)

There’s a great mix of material from all the Queens albums, with a heavy leaning on Songs For The Deaf. There are even a couple Desert Sessions tunes, and an unreleased one. It’s one awesome set, and great value for the money. It’s a CD I play at home, in the car, on the big stereo and on the earphones. Sound and video quality are fine. Don’t expect a hi-def show from the Queens though. This is sweaty and rough.

My favourite part: Josh Homme gets pissed off at some kid throwing things at him, and berates said kid in front of the crowd a bit. “Hey cocksmoker. Eat a bag of dicks.” He then breaks into the “Anti-Cocksmoker Song” (“Tangled Up in Plaid”.)

Though I own everything in the QOSTA discography and this is a great release, something in me has been forever tempered after the many Josh Homme on-stage incidents berating fans and photographers. The fact one of these incidents is captured on this live set is kinda crazy. Hopefully, Josh is taking is easy on the booze-n-blow.

Upon further review, I mean any criticism towards Homme based on the fact the incident that really changed my perception of him was when he kicked a photographer, but he did apologize. Still kinda changed my feeling about an artist and band I always held in high regard. He’s been pretty quiet since then, so maybe/hopefully Homme checked himself.